Which of the following shows the correct order of increasing trophic level in a typical terrestrial food chain?

• A. Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake
• B. Grasshopper → Grass → Snake → Frog
• C. Snake → Frog → Grasshopper → Grass
• D. Frog → Snake → Grass → Grasshopper

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of trophic levels: Trophic levels represent the hierarchical positions in a food chain, starting with producers (organisms that make their own food, like plants) and followed by primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores that eat herbivores), and tertiary consumers (carnivores that eat other carnivores).
2. Identify the producer in the food chain: In a terrestrial food chain, the producer is typically a plant, such as grass, which uses photosynthesis to create energy.
3. Determine the primary consumer: The primary consumer is the organism that directly consumes the producer. In this case, the grasshopper eats the grass, making it the primary consumer.
4. Determine the secondary consumer: The secondary consumer is the organism that eats the primary consumer. Here, the frog eats the grasshopper, making it the secondary consumer.
5. Determine the tertiary consumer: The tertiary consumer is the organism that eats the secondary consumer. In this food chain, the snake eats the frog, making it the tertiary consumer. The correct order of increasing trophic level is Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake.